Oil retainer for valve tappets



March 26, 1929. c. c. FIFIELD 1,706,571

OIL RETAINER FOR VALVE TAPPETS Filed Aug. 30, 1927 @4214 a 5 av Patented Mar. 26,

UNITEDTSTA App1ication filed August so, 1927. Seria1 No. 216,423.

The object of my invention is to provide v simple, durable andin maybe applied to the CHESTER c. FIrIELnoF DES MOINES, rowA;

OIL BETAINERTOR VALVE imrrnrs.

expensive means which tappct support of an internal combustion engine of'that type employing an overhead valve, whereby leakage of oil around the tappets may be prevented without packing the valve rods.

A further object is to provide tainer in the nature of-an attachment an oil remay be easily and quickly applied to the tappet supportof internal combustion engines, for the purpose of preventing the escape of oil around the upper ends of the tappet rods,

and to provide in connection therewith means for easily and quickly clamping said attachment in position.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, templated are attaine whereby the objects cond, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

' which port 12.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of-the upper end of the valve casin v of an engine and the lower ends of the cylinders, showing the manner inwhich myimpr plied to thetop the manner in which cured thereto.

of the valve chamber,

oved oil retainer is apand the attachment is .se-

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the clamp forsecuring the oil r Figure 4: is an inverted perspective viewof one of the oil retainers, one end being shown in section.

etainer in position.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a slightly.

modified form of an oil retainer which may be built permanently nto the engine.

The numeral 10 indicates a cylinderblock of an internal combustion engine,

The top of the valve casing is valve casings.

and 11 the provided with what I shall term atappet supto cover is mounted the cam shaft 15. The tappet support is openings a slidably mounted tappet The upper ends of the rods 17 exseries of bushing s provided with red 17.

The said, tappet support the cam shaft chamber 13 in which is designed 14 having a cam provided with a 16, each of which tend a slight distance above the tappet support. Each tappet rod 17 is designed to support and actuate a valve rod 18 which is caused to reciprocate tion of the shaft 14 an vertically by the rotad the action of thecam which .into the grooves .29.

15 on thetalppet head 19 secured toithe lower end of the s aft 17. i

- Oil is usually splashed into the chamber 13 to provide means for lubricating the bearings ofthe shaft 1 1, as well as the 'tappet shafts 17. The reciprocation of the tappet.

shafts 17. causes a certain amount of oil to woi'k' upwardly through the: opening 16, which accumulates ontop of the tappet support 12 and eventually runs down the side of the, valve casing and is wasted.

I have overcome this dilficulty by provid v ing an upright circular wall or shell 20 around the upper end of each of the shafts 17, so that a cylindrical space or opening 21 is provided of a considerably larger diameter than the upper end of the shaft 17 The .walls .20 are of a height somewhat greater than the upperend of the shaft 17 when moved to its upper limit of movement. The walls 20 are provided with a plate 22 which serves as cover to keep. out eign' matter. Said plate 22 has an opening 23 through which the valve rod 18 is slidably mounted, the opening being of slightly greater diameter than the rod to prevent friction, and permit free movement of the rod. The cover 22 may be detachably supported by meansof suitable screws or cap bolts 24:;

By this arrangement it will be seenthat any excess oilw'hichmay move upwardly through the opening 16 will collect in the chamber 21 and run back through said opening each time the engine ation no oil is wasted.

For applying my invention to. engines that i are. already in use, I have provided blocks 25, each of which is substantially rect-agular Y in cross section and of awidth substantially equal to the width of the walls 20and of a height substantially equal to the height of said walls.

Each of the blocks has its under surface pro vided with vertically extending openings 26 of a diameter equal to the spaces21. -The top of each ofthe openings v26 is provided with valve rod openings 27 Each of the dirt and foris stopped, so that in actual operopenings 26 is'provided with a sleeve 28 hav- I ing its lower end extended beyondthe under surface of the block 25 and designed to enter grooves 29 surroundingthe upper. end of the valve opening 16, said grooves being formed by a special tool. The blocks 25 are then .inverted and placed in position with the lower ends of the sleeves 28extended downwardly A packing 30 is pro vided for making a tight fit between the block 25 and the support 12, while the sleeves 28 hold the packing in positionand the block 25 in proper alinement with the tappet shafts 17. The valve rods ings 27.

For clamping the blocks 25 in position Without having to drill or tap holes 111 the support lQ, I have provided a yoke 31 which consists of a horizontal bar 32 having inwardly extending end portions 38 terminating lll downwardly extending portions 34. The members 8% are designed to be mounted be tween the blocks 25 and the cylinder block 10.. A red 36 is mounted between the blocks and in the central portion of the bar 32. One en d of the rod 36 is mounted in clamping plate 87 which rests against the back side of the cylinder blocks 10. A suitable nut 38 is provided for the forward end of the rod Eldand provides means whereby the member 34 may be drawn tightly against the blocks 10. The inner ends of the members rest'under the water jacket portion Off the cylinder blocks in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 2. Each of the portions 33 is provided with a screw threaded opening 39 for receiving set screws 10, which rest on the cent-er of the blocks in themanner clearly illustrated in Figure 1. Said set screws exert downward pressure on the blocks25 and securely retain them in position. By this arrangement it will be seen that the blocks 25 may be easily and quickly attached or removed as desired by loosening the set screws ll) and the nuts 38 and removing the rod 3'6.

The openings 2'6 of the blocks '25 are greater than the diameter of the tappets 17 and serve the same purpose as the spaces 21 of the iiorm illustrated in Figure 5, and operate in the same manner to prevent leakage of oil around the tappet shafts.

Thus it will be seen that I have provideda device of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, which may be either built perinanently into the t'appet support, or in the form of an attachment which may be connected to the engine after it has been built, and when so provided will prevent any leakage of oil working upwardly through the tappet bearings.

Other modifications of my device may be provided without departing form the spirit of my invention. The important feature is to provide in communication with the upper end of the tappet bearing opening a chamber or compartment larger than the upper end of the valve tappet in which the valve tappet may reciprocate so that oil will not collect by capillary attraction or otherwise, and to pro vide a suitable covering for said enlarged portion to exclude foreig' matter, and to provide in the covering a suitable opening in alinement with the valve tappet for loosely receiving the valve operating rods.

18 are mounted in the open- The'l parts areso arranged that the upper ends oi? the tappets never engage either the top or side walls of the enlarged opening.

It will readily be seenthat it the upper ends of the tappets '17 extended upwardly through the cover member and operated in a loosely fitting hole, oil would then adhere to the surface of the upper end of the tappet rod and be worked through the said opening in the same manner it is worked through the bearing opening 16. I find in actual practice that comparatively no oil creeps on the lower ends of the valve rods 18 on account oi the valve rods being of considerably less diameter than the tappets, and further on account of the upper ends of the tap pets extending at all times above the level of any oil which might collect in th space 21.

On account of the -alve rods 18 operating loosely in the openings a3 and 27, no lubrication is required for the rods at this point. On account of the small diameter of said rods, the space between the rods and the opening (Z0111 )arativel small whereas it" the u 3- per ends of the tappets 17 were extended through the cover and allowed to move freely through the openings in said cover, the open space around said rods would be of con siderable size and permit an excessive amount of dust and dirt enter. For this reason it will be seen that a further advantage is gained by retaining the upper ends of the tappets 17 below the cover plates of the enlarged chambers.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of theclass pet support having a vertically arranged bearing opening terminating in an enlarged portion at its upper end, and a cover for the enlarged portion of said opening provided with a valve rod opening in alinement with said bearing opening, the enlarged opening being of such size that it will not become filled with oil by capillary attraction.

2. In a device of the class described, a tappet support having a vertically arranged bearing opening terminating in an enlarged portion at its upper end, a cover for the enlarged portion of said opening provided with a valve rod opening in alinenient with said bearing opening, a tappet rod in said bearing opening, and a valve rod in said cover and supported in operative relation with said tappet rod, the parts being so proportioned and arranged that a space is provided around the upper end 01" each of the tappets and or" such size that it will not become tilled with oil by 'apillary attraction, and the enlarged port-ion being of such height that the tappcts may be reciprocated without engaging the cover oft said enlarged portion.

3. An oil retainer for valve tappets comprising a block designed to be supported on the upper surface of a'tappet support and raving an opening in its under surface for the opening of described, a tapreceiving the upper end of a tappet, said opening being larger than the upper end of the tappet and of such size that it will not become filled with oilby capillary attraction, and said block being provided with a valve rod opening. e 1

i. An oil retainer for valve tappets comprising a block designed to be supported on the upper surface of a tappet support and having an opening in its under surface for receiving the upper end of a tappet, said opening being larger than the upper end of the tappet and of such size that it will not become filled with oil by a block being provided with a valve rod opening, and a packing'supported between said block and said tappet support.

5. An oil retainer for valve tappets com prising a block designed to be supported on the upper surface of a tappet support and having an opening in its under surface for receiving the upper end of a tappet, said opening being larger than the upper'end of the tappet and of such size that it will not become filled with oil by capillary attraction, said block being'provided with a valve rod opening, a packing supported between said block and said tappet support, and means for clamping said block in position on said tappet sup-- port. I o

6. An oil retainer for valve tappets comprising a block designed to be supported on the upper surface of a tappetsupport and ceiving the upper end of a tappet,

for clamping said capillary attraction, said I having an opening in its under surface for resaid opening being larger than the upper end of the tappet, said block being provided with a valve rod opening, a packing supported between said block and said tappet support, and means block in position on said tappet support, said means comprising a yoke having inwardly extending members designed to engage the inner faces of the cylinder block at a point adjacent to the tappet support, a rod and a clamping plate for securing said yoke in position.

7. In combination, engine comprising a cylinder block having a cam shaft chamber and a tappet support covering the same, said tappet support being provided with vertical tappet bushings, a

tappet shaft for each of said bearings having its upper end extended above said support,

an oil retainer block having in its under surface a series of openings for receiving the upper ends of said tappet shafts when the block is placed in position on said support, the openings being of a diameter greater thanthe tappet shafts and of a height greater than the stroke of said shafts, a valve rod opening communicating with said enlarged openings, and means for clamping said blocks in position on said support.

Des Moines, Iowa, August 23, 1927.

CHESTER C, FIFIELD.

an internal combustion I 

